Historically, Science Fiction and Fantasy and Horror films have almost always been looked on by studios as somewhat 'lesser works.'
Of course, don't misunderstand me when I say this: these studios and their corporate executives are certain happy to cash the check that roll in over and over and over again from box office receipts for the latest and greatest visual spectacle that won over the masses. Everything in Hollywood is profit driven; and -- to a surprising degree -- genre films hold the titles of being the biggest earners throughout the decades. The point, though, is that these fussyhats don't think highly -- generally speaking -- of such fare; and there are a great many of them who think such subject matter is beneath them. This is why we don't get a vast number of accomplished auteurs helming some of these incredible visions. Yes, we get a few, but there are far more who'd pretty much stick to their character driven dramas, their period pieces, or perhaps even a psychological melodrama to tide them over. It's just the way things are.
This isn't always the case, and that's why I'm taking a few inches of column space this morning to celebrate the memory of director Nathan Juran on his birthday. Born on this day all the way back in 1907, this Oscar-winning storyteller leaves behind a somewhat curious legacy. When many Oscar-nominated directors wouldn't think about dabbling in the realms of the Fantastic, Juran did and, apparently, never thought ill of it. Mostly, this was owed to his personal philosophy of making feature films, and I think it's a rare perspective -- especially as it relates to genre storytelling -- that deserves a nod on his special day.
From what I've read, he approached the art chiefly as if he were little more than a technician hired to translate a story from script to screen. To him, filmmaking was a job -- a trade -- not unlike one that you or I would work; and it's this clinical separation of the industry reputation from the end results that quite probably kept him from worrying too deeply about assuming the mantle over some ... well ... otherwise secondary stories. Arguably, not every Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror feature of the 1950's and 1960's were the kind of stuff remembered for raising the bar; and, yet, Juran's sensibilities of staying true to his craft was likely the focus that helped him stay sane ... or as sane as any filmmaker can be.
Of course, don't misunderstand me when I say this: these studios and their corporate executives are certain happy to cash the check that roll in over and over and over again from box office receipts for the latest and greatest visual spectacle that won over the masses. Everything in Hollywood is profit driven; and -- to a surprising degree -- genre films hold the titles of being the biggest earners throughout the decades. The point, though, is that these fussyhats don't think highly -- generally speaking -- of such fare; and there are a great many of them who think such subject matter is beneath them. This is why we don't get a vast number of accomplished auteurs helming some of these incredible visions. Yes, we get a few, but there are far more who'd pretty much stick to their character driven dramas, their period pieces, or perhaps even a psychological melodrama to tide them over. It's just the way things are.
This isn't always the case, and that's why I'm taking a few inches of column space this morning to celebrate the memory of director Nathan Juran on his birthday. Born on this day all the way back in 1907, this Oscar-winning storyteller leaves behind a somewhat curious legacy. When many Oscar-nominated directors wouldn't think about dabbling in the realms of the Fantastic, Juran did and, apparently, never thought ill of it. Mostly, this was owed to his personal philosophy of making feature films, and I think it's a rare perspective -- especially as it relates to genre storytelling -- that deserves a nod on his special day.
From what I've read, he approached the art chiefly as if he were little more than a technician hired to translate a story from script to screen. To him, filmmaking was a job -- a trade -- not unlike one that you or I would work; and it's this clinical separation of the industry reputation from the end results that quite probably kept him from worrying too deeply about assuming the mantle over some ... well ... otherwise secondary stories. Arguably, not every Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror feature of the 1950's and 1960's were the kind of stuff remembered for raising the bar; and, yet, Juran's sensibilities of staying true to his craft was likely the focus that helped him stay sane ... or as sane as any filmmaker can be.
Naturally, no single picture should ever define a creator's body of work, and the same should be said of Juran. While a few of these listed entries are a bit ... well ... half-baked, there's no denying the craftsmanship that went into completing them. One might even suggest that there's a bit of genius -- albeit mad genius -- in them as well, as a few listed above have gone on to amass solid cult status. I've read online that even Juran was surprised to learn that he'd somehow assembled something of a legacy; and that sounds exactly like a man who was more concerned with getting the work done than he necessarily was with producing art for the ages.
Here's what I wrote about him on the Daily Citation Page for September 1:
Nathan Juran was an Oscar-winning director who leaves behind an incredible resume in the world of genre entertainment. In his lifetime, he helped bring some amazing properties to the big and small screen, including 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957), The Brain From Planet Arous (1957), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), and First Men In The Moon (1964) as well as episodes of Land of Giants, Men Into Space, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, and Land Of The Giants. Though he's no longer with us, Juran was born on this day in 1907.
[Source: IMDB.com]
ExtraExtra Alert:
-- EZ
Here's what I wrote about him on the Daily Citation Page for September 1:
Nathan Juran was an Oscar-winning director who leaves behind an incredible resume in the world of genre entertainment. In his lifetime, he helped bring some amazing properties to the big and small screen, including 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957), The Brain From Planet Arous (1957), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), and First Men In The Moon (1964) as well as episodes of Land of Giants, Men Into Space, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, and Land Of The Giants. Though he's no longer with us, Juran was born on this day in 1907.
[Source: IMDB.com]
ExtraExtra Alert:
- In 2016, I caught a cable broadcast airing of First Men In The Moon (1964) on a channel to which I subscribe. Interested readers can find my review right here.
- In 2022, I received an all-new home video release fo The Brain From Planet Arous (1957) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net. Interested readers can find my review right here.
- In 2025, I received an all-new home video release of Attack Of The 50 Ft. Woman (1958) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net. Interested readers can find my review right here.
- In 2026, I received an all-new home video release of The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad (1958) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net. Interested readers can find my review right here.
-- EZ
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